John O'Boyle/The Star-LedgerBrent Sutter says the Devils will be better prepared for the playoffs this year.

How much better can things get for the Devils? They've won four in a row, goalie Martin Brodeur is back from his injury, performing at the top of his game, and the Devils are inching closer to the Boston Bruins for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Well, don't mention it to coach Brent Sutter. Whenever he starts thinking how rosy the situation looks for the Devils as the playoffs approach, he flashes back to last spring.

That brings him back to reality. The final weeks of last season remain a sore point for Sutter.

It was just about a year ago that a team with high hopes saw its season slowly begin to unravel. The Devils won only nine of their final 18 games, stumbled into the playoffs and were knocked out in the first round by the Rangers.

With 18 games remaining this season, including Saturday afternoon's meeting with the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum, Sutter vows he will not allow it to happen again.

"I learned a few things from last year that I'm not going to allow to happen this year," Sutter said after practice yesterday. "I'm not going to let anyone drop their guard. It's a critical time in the season to make sure your game is in order individually and as a team. You have to be in the right frame of mind and be accountable."

That was not the case down the stretch last season.

"Different things took place and I'm not going to tolerate it this year," Sutter said. "Personally, I don't foresee it happening because this group has been very accountable to each other this year. It's a group I have a great deal of trust in and I think our leadership is different than it was a year ago as far as our mindsets."

It is not a coincidence that players like Brendan Shanahan, Bobby Holik and Brian Rolston were brought back to the Devils.

The Devils may have had the talent to get out of the conference last spring, but they were lacking in important areas. They lost focus, picked up bad habits in the final weeks of the regular season and allowed Sean Avery to get under goalie Martin Brodeur's skin in the playoffs.
The way they played in the final 18 regular season games came back to bite them.

"I don't know why it happened, but yes it was a factor (in losing to the Rangers)," captain Jamie Langenbrunner said. "You can do stuff to elevate your game in the playoffs, but you do have to be playing well. You have to have good things going for you."

David Clarkson agreed.

"Anytime you go into the playoffs and you're not playing your best, it's not a good position to be in," the right winger said. "We didn't do the little things we needed to do last year. No other reason. We all learned from that."

Bryce Salvador acquired at the trade deadline last year, said where the Devils finish in the standings is less important than how well they are playing once the postseason begins.

"When you get close to the playoffs it's how you are playing and last year it seemed we weren't consistent," said Salvador, who will be partnered on defense Saturday with newly-acquired Niclas Havelid. "It doesn't matter where you finish, it's how you're playing. Apart from Detroit winning the Cup, it really hasn't been the top seed that's won. Calgary made a run, Edmonton made a run. It's teams that are hot."

That said, the Devils are second in the Eastern Conference. Unless they play poorly down the stretch, they will have a high seeding.

"I think we focused too much on just wanting to get into the playoffs last year instead of building for the playoffs," John Madden said. "I do sense a difference. We know we can't go into the playoffs limping. We have to go in building momentum. Look back the last few years. Teams that have had good runs all went into the playoffs on a high.

"That's why we were eliminated in five games by the Rangers. We never had that edge or that step."

So why will the final 18 games this year be different? Several reasons.

"I think you learn from past experiences both good and bad," Langenbrunner said. "There is a totally different mindset in here than last year. There is a lot of belief in this room. We trust each other up and down the lineup. I don't think anyone in here wants to let anyone else down."

Patrik Elias sees another factor.

"This season we've had a lot more easier games because of the way we scored," Elias suggested. "You're not always tight, playing one-goal games. That takes a toll, especially in the long run. We're playing better hockey than last year, to be honest.

"I've been in the playoffs 12 straight years, so I know you have to feel good about yourself. You can't just turn it on. We believe in each other and we believe we can accomplish something here."

They will be reminded by their coach.

"The thing about coaching is you never rest easy. You never drop your guard," Sutter said. "You're trying to find ways to try to make your team better and to play better. It's the time of year where you want your group to be very focused because you know that in six weeks the second season starts and you want to finish really strong and playing well. You don't want any bad habits creeping into your game."

NOTES

Clarkson needed four stitches to close the cut on his left eyebrow he got when he collided with Johnny Oduya in Thursday's practice.

"It was an accident. Our heads collided," Clarkson said.

And what about Oduya's comment that he would buy Clarkson a cupcake?

"I meant to bug him about that," Clarkson said. "I didn't get one yet. I'm waiting. I want a homemade one."